Comparing estimation methods for spatial econometrics

Investments in infrastructure are often seen as preferred policies for promoting regional growth. It is clear that good infrastructure projects, based on cost-benefit analysis, should show a countercyclical pattern. Being long-term investments, the benefits should be independent of the business cycle. However, the social costs of each project would be lower in cyclical troughs, when there is surplus capacity. The paper hopes to explore whether these relationships can be demonstrated. JEL: C21, R11, R23, R42 Keywords: Regional growth, transport investments, spatial econometrics